Spanish Style Stuffed Peppers

I got this recipe from Marci @marcicooks on Instagram so you know it's a good'n. We tried it yesterday, and we all loved it. The kids even had some of their pepper! It's clean and healthy too which is an added plus besides the fact that it includes things from the pantry!

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 can RoTel (or I used a can of diced tomatoes and diced green chilies)

salt & pepper

olive oil

2 red peppers (can do up to 4)

1/4 onion, chopped

1-2 c. cooked rice (seasoned if desired, but not necessary - the Costco packets of quinoa and brown rice are really good in this she says)

1/2 can black beans

juice of a lime (I forgot this, but next time I won't)

garlic powder

chili powder

paprika

cumin

grated cheese to top each pepper

Cook 4 chicken breasts with a can of mild RoTel, salt, pepper and a little bit of olive oil in the crock pot on high for 3-4 hours - until chicken pulls apart easily. Shred chicken and keep it in the crock pot on warm.

Cut the red peppers in half. Hallow them out and remove the seeds and veins. Set the halves in a greased baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350. In a frying pan, warm a little bit of olive oil and add the chopped onion. Sautee until they are translucent/ barely starting to brown. Add the rice and warm it all together. Add about 1/2 the chicken, including tomatoes and the black beans. Sqeeze the lime juice and add garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, and cumin about 2-3 shakes of each. Mix it all together until warm. 

Scoop the mixture into the peppers - stuff them really full. Put grated cheese on the top of each. 

Bake in the over for about 30 min. Can be topped with diced avocado, hot sauce, more lime juice, and fresh cilantro - we had ours plain because I was gone when everyone ate dinner, but they still loved it so imagine how yummier (yeah, it can be a word) it could be! 

Creamed Tuna on Toast

This one always reminds me of my dad. Growing up, when he was in charge of dinner we had breakfast or Creamed Tuna on Toast.

It's quick and simple and we love it.

1 can tuna, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
milk
sandwich bread
(frozen bag of veggies, cooked - we like peas or carrots)

Cook veggies in the microwave (this takes about 5 min). While they cook: In a small sauce pan over medium heat, combine tuna, cream of chicken soup, and enough milk to make a gravy. When it's all mixed and warming, add the cooked veggies. toast your bread (I like to do it as we go so that the toast doesn't get too cold).
Serve by putting toast on the plate and spoon a generous amount of gravy over the toast. That's it!

Note: you can also just have the veggies as a side, but I've found they get eaten better if they're part of the dinner.

Ground Beef Tin Foil Dinners

We're going good ole fashioned camping style. I'm sure there is a recipe out there for these, but we just put it all in a foil pouch and go to town. This is what we use for our family of 4.

1 lb ground beef
1 can corn
1 can beans (whatever we have - like black, or kidney)
1 can cream of chicken soup
salt and pepper
4 carrots, diced
1/4 onion, diced
4 russet or red potatoes, diced

I put two pieces of foil (about 18" long) on the counter together for each person. Divide all the ingredients between the four foil pouches (Daddy gets more, the kids get smaller ones). Put the meat on the bottom and everything on top of that. It helps if your meat isn't in a solid patty - it'll cook better and faster. Then you fold it all up - I like to fold two sides in and roll them down like a chip bag and then fold the ends up like a chip bag too that way they stay sealed better and you know how to open them because you don't want your foil to tear if you have to put them back in again.

You can grill them on medium-high or bake them in the oven (I usually do 375 for about 45 min) but make sure you check them to be certain the meat is cooked through. If you use the oven, make sure you have a cookie sheet under the foil packets to catch the juices that will most likely fall - please don't cause yourself the unfortunate experience of cleaning your oven in the summer!

That's a lot of words! You'll figure it out. I believe in you!

Hot Dog Boats

Yep folks, I said it. Hot. Dog. Boats. When you eat them, your arteries might sieze up for a second, but then you're mind will take over and remind your body how DE-LISH they are and how eating them brings back memories of being a kid and wanting to eat the cooked cheese right off the pan.

Go ahead. Make them. It's summer after all, and summer is a time for happiness and laughter (and very little time in the kitchen with the oven on fighting with your AC)! Besides your family will love them and they're easy peasy.

In case you forgot, you need:
1 pkg hot dogs
mashed potatoes
grated cheese

Cut the hot dogs hot dog way (I'm sorry! I couldn't resist! It was just too punny to pass up! I mean long way). Lay them cut side up on a cookie sheet (I like to line mine with foil for faster clean up). Spoon on a big scoop of mashed potatoes on each hot dog. Sprinkle grated cheese over each "boat". Bake in the oven at 350 until the cheese is melty and everything is good and warm - we're talking like 10 min-ish. Serve with a veggie so your mom will be proud!

Pesto Chicken Sandwiches

This is another new recipe that we haven't tried, but I thought it might be fun and we LOVE pesto. Also, the french bread that they bake every day is only $1.69 so it's not super expensive.

Pesto Chicken Sandwiches
3 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 (8 oz.) pkg white mushrooms, sliced (I'll be leaving these out)
1 onion, sliced thin
1 1/2 - 2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 c. peso
1/4 - 1/2 c. ranch dressing (optional)
Montreal Steak Seasoning (about 1 tsp.)
1 loaf french bread

Saute the sliced onion and chicken pieces in a little butter or olive oil until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through. Season with Montreal Steak seasoning (or salt and pepper). Once onions are soft, add mushrooms to the pan with the chicken and onions, and cook until those are tender. Set meat mixture aside. Cut the french bread loaf in half long way and open up onto a large cookie sheet. Spread a generous amount of pesto on both sides of the bread. Spread ranch dressing (optional) on top of the pesto. Put half of the meat mixture on the top of each half of bread. Top both sides with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 10-15 min, or until the cheese is golden brown.
Serve folded back together and cut up as sandwiches or open faced.

Baked Potatoes

We haven't had these in a LONG time so I thought I'd bust them out and see how the kids fare.

I like to follow these instructions from howtobakeapotato.com (and yes it's really a real site!).

We'll have ours with steamed broccoli, grated cheese, sour cream, maybe leftover bacon (if there is still bacon in our house by then), salt, pepper, butter and anything else I can find.

Cowboy Spaghetti

My apologies for being MIA lately. Here is a simple menu to get you through the next little bit.

We haven't had this Cowboy Spaghetti, but it sounds delish and the 95% lean ground beef is on sale this week at Fresh Market.

1 lb. spaghetti noodles, cooked & drained
1 Tbsp. olive oil (EVOO)
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp hot sauce
1/2 c. beef stock
1 (14 oz.) can diced or crushed tomatoes (or 2 c. pasta sauce)
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
4 sprigs green onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta according to package but only until al dente.
Heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add EVOO and bacon. Brown and crisp bacon, 5 min, remove with a slotted spoon. Drain off a little excess fat if necessary. Leave just enough to coat the bottom of the skillet. Add beef and crumble it as it browns, 3-4 min. Add onion, garlic and stir into meat. Season the meat with salt and pepper, hot sauces and Worcestershire if desired. Add beef stock and deglaze the pan. Cook 5 -6 min more then stir in the tomatoes and tomato sauce.

Add hot spaghetti to mat and sauce and combine. Adjust seasonings if desired. Serve with grated cheese, green onions and crisp bacon.